RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - On September 10 at Rancho Cordova City Hall, actor and Cordova High School grad Ken Rudulph hosted the 7th annual Rancho Cordova Sports Hall of Fame.

Shelly Blanchard, executive director of the Cordova Community Council, opened the inspiring evening celebrating 15 individual Rancho Cordova sports heroes, and the Cordova High School 1984 girls basketball team.

The 1984 Cordova Lancers girls basketball team, coached by John McCants, became the first Cordova girls basketball team to snag an undefeated regular season. They achieved an “unheard of” 32-1 overall record enroute to the Sac-Joaquin Section championship. Members of the team were Yvette Collins, Mickie Weekly, Teresa Tillman, Misako Hill, Catherine Hart, Stacy Hom Loftus, Lolita Stokes, Theresa Hill, Daneen Johnson, Sharon Williams, Tina Nichols Starks, Corinne Waller, Anna Reddick Howard, Vivian Chambers and Carol Bender-Williams.

“I think what made us so special is that we actually cared about one another, we were good friends, and we worked hard,” Johnson said. “We were committed to basketball . . . It’s an honor to be recognized, for us women to be out there, and I encourage women to just commit to it, follow through with it. If you have the passion, do it.”

The 15 individuals being inducted were Steve Abrams (Cordova ’81), Rick Anderson (Cordova ’82), Terry Behrens (Cordova ’73), Zach Crouch (Cordova ’84), Jose De La Cruz (Rancho police officer, service to youth sports through Police Activities League), Coye Francies (Cordova ’04), Dianne Yost Goldman (Cordova ’71), Frank Griffin (Cordova ’87), Fallon Johnson (Cordova ’03), Dennis Lamantia (instrumental in many Rancho sports endeavors and programs), Tim McCandless (San Rafael ’75), James Montgomery (Cordova ’06), CK Moore (Cordova ’75), Sheena Hellon Sapaula (Cordova ’03), and Debra Green Swain (Cordova ’68). These were honored for their participation in sports, coaching, or for their “Heart of a Champion,” for living an exemplary life in support of sports and humanitarian pursuits.

Abrams, a coach of youth sports for over 40 years, travels the United States speaking on behalf of colon cancer survivors; he is one himself. “One night my sons and I sat down and watched a video called ‘Baseball, the Latin Game’ and it showed how the young players in Latin America were wrapping rocks with tape and throwing rocks as baseballs, and using cardboard as chest protectors,” Abrams said. “I decided that I was going to do something about that, and that’s where Handing out Hope was born.” As a result, Abrams has donated more than 10,000 pieces of baseball equipment to children all over the world.

Cross country and track star Rick Anderson gives this advice to kids wanting to make it in sports. “Give it your all and if after a competition, no matter what the sport, if you didn’t do your best, then reflect back on it and see was it your fault that you didn’t do your best?  Was it a bad plan, was it just bad execution of a plan?  And learn from your mistakes.”

Blanchard said in closing, “Here’s a challenge to you all. Consider sharing your great sports stories with the new generation. You just don’t know who you will inspire . . . The truth is, our kids need you and one day, who knows, they may be standing with you right there in the Rancho Cordova Sports Hall of Fame.”